Rosé, Anyone?

Summer can be a lovely mix of this and that–the familiar, the new; rest, excitement. A fullness. Trees and flowers are at their best. Festivals and picnics abound. And wine shelves overflow with pink rosés from around the world.

“Rosé” says summer to me. Pretty, light, easy to drink. And though I have tried and liked many, my favorite go-to rosé is “Whispering Angel,” by Chateau D’Esclans of the Provence area of France.

And I guess I’m not alone, for according to some wine experts, it is the current number one selling rosé in the United States. Whispering Angel came abroad for the first time in 2007 with 135,000 bottles; today there are over 3.2 million bottles exported every year.

Whispering Angel is delicate, fresh, fruity, a lovely pale salmon color, and as one wine critic called it “deliciously dry to the end, dangerously good to drink.” It is fermented in all stainless steel barrels and refrigerated throughout the fermentation process.

And as much as I love its taste, I also am taken by its name– one source said that the name came from the two cherubs carved onto the walls of the 19th Century Chapel of the Chateau D’Esclans. On the label, the owner and founder of the current winery, Sacha Alexis Lichine, says, “In the Esclans Valley, angels whisper. If you drink this wine you might hear them. If by chance you visit us, you might see them.” I’m there!

It is affordable, varying in price between $18.00 to $24.00, and is part of a “family” of rosés which include Rock Angel, Les Clans, The Palm (even less expensive than the Whispering Angel), and Garrus (around $100).

Apparently there are, or at least used to be, Gummy Bears infused with Whispering Angel. I’m on the hunt! As I see it, having as many whispering angels in as many forms as possible is a good thing.